A Naivasha couple has welcomed as "the best gift ever" the birth of quadruplets two years after losing their first two children.
The four girls were born to Teresia Wanjira Mwangi and her husband Ezekiel Karuri Ndegwa at the Naivasha sub-county hospital a couple of days after the world marked Midwife Day on May 5.
It was the first quadruplets delivery through caesarean section at the subcounty hospital.
Karuri said their first two children - a boy and a girl - died of "health-related complications, leaving us in pain and lots of unanswered questions".
He and Wanjira are in their late 20s. “Our family, friends and church stood by us. It was very difficult for us. We thank God for answering our prayers,” he said.
Karuri, a jua kali electrician, acknowledges that the journey ahead will be hard but was quick to add that they are up to the challenge.
Wanjira, with tears of joy glistening in her eyes, recalled that she had to have a second scan after she was told she had four babies in her womb.
“It has been tough for our family after losing our young babies but the Lord has repaid us in double and the process of raising them now starts,” she said.
Like her husband, Wanjira, who is a housewife, said it will be an uphill task raising quadruplets. She appealed for assistance from well-wishers.
Hospital superintendent Angeline Ithondeka said the girls are in good health apart from one who required to be assisted with oxygen.
Dr Ithondeka said they had been monitoring the mother for months before the caesarean operation.
“We are recording around 25 births in this facility every day and this one stands out as it’s the first time we have recorded quadruplets, which is also a blessing,” she said.
The doctor said that breastfeeding the four babies will be an uphill task but added that they would continue to monitor Wanjira and the children.
Bishop Joseph Wambugu of the Bread of New Life Ministries said the church stood with the couple when they lost their two children.
Wambugu said that God had blessed the family many times after the loss and pleaded with couples with similar challenges never to give up.
“The Lord has paid them in double after the loss and we pray that these beautiful girls will make it,” he said.
- mwaniki fm
